Surfing on a Rocket

I'm listening to Air's "Surfing on a Rocket" now.  The double-entendre of rocket for "sexual organ" and "weapon of war" is none-too-subtle, but the video has that French earnestness and that cool French electronic sound.  So often, the French manage to fall flat on their face when they try to do cool--at least in the eyes of Americans across the pond.  It's hard for us here in the good ol' U.S.A. to understand the appeal of a guy like Johnny Hallyday, who does his knock-off Elvis bad-boy routine.  But when the French combine their usual seriousness with the copious talent they have (the kind of talent that leads small boys learning violin to play musical scales all day) they often come up with something of the high quality they always think they have as a nation.  Mostly, though, I just think the scene in the video with the breast milk flying is hilarious--and it looks like that milk ends up in a "puddle" on the floor where the two guys play.

What I'm doing on this Blog

This blog is about the things I love: art, politics, cooking and eating good food, history, the debates of the moment--the combat of public opinion--music, travel, whatever comes to mind.  There won't be one, narrow topic, because I'm not interested in one, narrow topic.  In some ways I wish I had been born in another era when there was no need to specialize professionally, when we could try to take it all in and make a living that way--just as Ben Franklin did everything from inventing the lightening rod to serving as the first Ambassador to France.  I don't claim to have any of Franklin's capacities in multiple areas, but I want to let my mind and words go where they will, wandering.  The photo above is of an art piece by Morgan O'Hara.  I'm seated on the floor, painting, to help complete her project with other assistants in Mexico City.  The photo was taken two years ago.  After spending two years living in Mexico City, where I worked on the manuscript of a new book, I've been in the U.S. the last seven months as the writer-in-residence in Braddock, PA at a new residency called
Into the Furnace.  Thanks for reading . . .